Russian fighter intercepts B-52

The Russian Defense ministry broke the story of a Russian fighter jet intercepting a U.S. B-52 bomber over the Baltic Sea.

The B-52, according to the ministry, was over international waters and flying near “Russia’s state borders.

Several B-52s, along with a contingent of maintenance troops arrived in the United Kingdom in recent days to participate in NATO exercises happening this summer. Sabre Strike, one of the multinational exercises, began last month and will take place in Poland, Latvia and Lithuania in coming weeks.

Last month, a Russian aircraft came within 20 feet of a U.S. surveillance plane over the Baltic Sea in an incident the Pentagon called “routine.” Additionally, U.S. aircraft intercepted a number of Russian bombers near the coast of Alaska in May.

The B-52 bombers which are eight-engine aircraft is capable of holding 70,000 pounds of munitions and have been upgraded in past decades to drop everything from sea mines to nuclear-tipped cruise missiles.

There has been no response from the US European command regarding the incident.